What is your opinion on the maintenance of film franchises?

Many of the films released recently are sequels of movies that became blockbuster hits in the past. They are called film franchises. Good examples are the latest Mission Impossible, Fast and Furious, and Avengers films. The international viewing public seemed to respond very positively to these movies as they also became top grossers, some even surpassing the earnings of those that came before them. However, some say they film producers are making too many sequels. They call this “film franchise fatigue.”

Movie producers these days are into maintaining film franchises.Standalone films or those that have definite endings have become very rare. It has been observed that if a movie earns humongous amounts of profit, there would be a big possibility that producers would create a spin-off or a continuation of the film. The process goes on and on until producers hit a dead end or until the film franchise no longer has the same impact on people as it did with the earlier releases. At some point, film sequels become bland and boring.

Because of film franchises, it can be said that producers just recycle movie material that has proven itself to be profitable. The creativity and artistry behind film production are gone because all film producers can think about is the guarantee of a big profit. Maintaining film franchises is just a way of showing how the film industry has become too episodic. Films are like prolonged versions of TV shows that are shown in big screens. Storylines are too stretched and manipulated because producers need to have something to work on for their next films. 

Many compare film sequels with old products that are placed in new packaging or stale cake that does not taste as good as when it was served fresh from the oven. For some, film sequels will never be at par with the first and original releases. So, the film industry should just move away from maintaining film franchises. Instead, they should go back to creating new stories that will coincide with realities of life. Producers should go against the profit-centered motives of producing films and once again give people fresh and new standalone movies that will create big impacts in society.